CANADA HUGHES BLOOD SUIT GOES TO COURT (page 3)

DannyHaszard

CNN news biggie- Dad fights Jehovah's Witnesses over daughter's death

Dad fights Jehovah's Witnesses over daughter's death
CNN International - 6 minutes ago
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- A grieving father said he would continue his crusade against Jehovah's Witnesses and their prohibition against blood transfusions ... CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- A grieving father said he would continue his crusade against Jehovah's Witnesses and their prohibition against blood transfusions after a court decision partially cleared the way for an $800,000 wrongful death lawsuit.

Lawrence Hughes filed the claim on behalf of his 17-year-old daughter, Bethany, who died from acute myeloid leukemia in 2002. She repeatedly refused conventional treatment for her leukemia because of her religious beliefs. Hughes, as executor of her estate, blames the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, the religious order that governs the faith, for influencing his daughter to believe that the Bible forbids blood transfusions. "This is a great day for justice. This is a great day for children," Hughes told a news conference Tuesday after a judge ruled he could proceed with part of his case. "The court is saying that a religious sect or cult can be held responsible for the injury they inflict on others, whether it relates to deliberately giving out misleading medical information or using institutional coercion which results in the death of a child," Hughes said. The tightly disciplined religious sect believes the Bible forbids transfusions, though specifics have gradually been eased over the years. Filed in 2004, Hughes' suit had stalled in the courts as defendants tried to have it thrown out. However, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Patricia Rowbotham ruled Friday that a scaled-down version of the claim could move forward. Though Hughes cannot proceed with his claim against the Watch Tower Society, he can move head with a suit against two lawyers, Shane Heath Brady and David Miles Gnam, who acted for both Bethany and her mother, Arliss, when they fought the transfusions in court and also represent the society. Both lawyers are Jehovah's Witnesses. Rowbotham dismissed the claim against the Watch Tower Society because, she said, the lawsuit did not question the sincerity of Bethany's belief, rather it attacked religious doctrine of the faith. She ruled the court could not be arbiters of religious dogma. Hughes said he had not ruled out an appeal to allow him to proceed against the Watch Tower Society, but he considers his case against the lawyers a coup. Rowbotham wrote in her ruling that because of their own beliefs, the lawyers were not in a position to advise Bethany in an objective manner that would enable her to make a free, informed decision on whether to have blood transfusions. Brady dismisses that notion. "It's just silly and irrelevant to the action," he told The Associated Press from his Ontario office. "That's akin to saying that the NAACP can't represent people with certain religious or ethnic beliefs," he said, referring to the U.S. civil rights organization National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Bethany's illness garnered nationwide attention and renewed public debate over how to determine when a child should be able to choose medical care. Canada's Charter of Rights allows those 18 and older to decide, but medical ethics dictate that mature children should be allowed to decide unless their competence has been compromised. Several doctors found Bethany to be mature enough to choose her treatment. However, her father left the church and petitioned the court to enforce the transfusions. The court ruled she was pressured by her religion and didn't have a free, informed will. The Alberta government won temporary custody of Bethany, and she was given almost 40 transfusions against her will -- though she succumbed to leukemia in the end. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press . All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. http://us.cnn.com/feedback/ CNN CONTACT PAGE

DannyHaszard

TOP ranked JW news expect to hold & hang through the weekend Dad fights Jehovah's Witnesses over daughter's death
CNN International - 25 minutes ago
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- A grieving father said he would continue his crusade against Jehovah's Witnesses and their prohibition against blood transfusions ...
Judge tosses out parts of Jehovah's Witness case Globe and Mail
Dad given OK to sue over death Calgary Sun
all 3 related » http://us.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form11b.html?1 CNN news tips online form

hawkaw

It's too bad Counsel did not argue about how sincere the Religion is in its blood doctrine.

Anyone who says they abstain from blood yet allows for 100 percent of blood to be taken in should be tested on whether they actually believe in their doctrine honestly and in good faith. If they are insincere in their belief, then they have no protection under article 2(a) of the Charter. Another example would be lookin at the allowance for taking in white blood cells but also saying they are banned. I could go on and on.

Its not about whether the faith is true or not. It's about whether, based on the evidence, they actually believe in what they are teaching.

hawk

Rabbit

"This is a great day for justice. This is a great day for children," Hughes told a news conference Tuesday after a judge ruled he could proceed with part of his case. "The court is saying that a religious sect or cult can be held responsible for the injury they inflict on others, whether it relates to deliberately giving out misleading medical information or using institutional coercion which results in the death of a child," Hughes said.

Good for him -- good for us -- good for all the past victims like my own Mom -- good for all the future victims like my children and grandchildren -- and yours ! (We need an 'applause' gif icon.) Rabbit

RunningMan

Regardless of how this case ends up, it is a win for Lawrence and all others who oppose the Society. Bad publicity, legal costs, and continual disruptions are continuing to plague them from every side.

DannyHaszard

This is what you get when you click Jehovah's Witnesses

Out-ranks Watchtower.org

News results for jehovah's witnesses - View today's top stories

Dad fights Jehovah's Witnesses over daughter's death - CNN International - 5 hours ago

Jehovah's Witnesses: Watchtower Society Official Web Site
Official web site of Watchtower Society, the legal organization in use by Jehovah's
Witnesses. Authoritative source about beliefs, teachings, activities.
www.watchtower.org/ - 17k - Feb 27, 2006 - Cached - Similar pages

hawkaw

I will post Her Honour's decision when it comes out to the Internet. Seems the Queen's Bench last updated the site for the week ending February 17, 2006.

DannyHaszard

World in Brief
Times Online, UK - 10 minutes ago
... Calgary: A Canadian father is suing two Jehovah’s Witness lawyers who acted for his daughter, 17, who died of acute myeloid leukaemia after refusing blood ...

DannyHaszard

(Any news is good news)Wrongful death lawsuit $800,000 NHL referee did not bet on games
Toronto Star, Canada - 1 hour ago
... death lawsuit on behalf of his daughter, Bethany who died of leukemia in 2002, after refusing blood transfusions because of her Jehovah's Witness beliefs. ... Wrongful death lawsuit $800,000 NHL referee did not bet on games Mar. 2, 2006. 01:00 AM CORRECTIONS
In 2004, Lawrence Hughes filed an $800,000 wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of his daughter, Bethany who died of leukemia in 2002, after refusing blood transfusions because of her Jehovah's Witness beliefs. A brief item reporting that the suit can proceed, in Wednesday's paper, gave an incorrect amount for the claim. The Star regrets the error.A story published February 8, 2006, incorrectly said that former National Hockey League referee Andy Van Hellemond borrowed money from other referees to pay gambling debts. Van Hellemond resigned from the league following allegations that he borrowed money from other referees. He now works as a consultant to the league. The Star regrets the error .

CANADA HUGHES BLOOD SUIT GOES TO COURT

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